Taking The Priesthood of All Believers Seriously

It is a brand new day my sisters and brothers. We have entered an era where anyone can be a publisher. We have entered an era where the multitude of voices makes it difficult to be heard. We have entered an era where a 700 dollar laptop and a 40 dollar internet connection will give you the possibility to be heard by millions.

And yet the church continues to live in the past. We continue to live in an era where the leaders could control the members by limiting their access to information. We continue to try to force members to obey the one whom God has talked to.

Pastor As Only Leader

Yes that was the era we came from. The pastor, who heard the voice of God, simply told the people what was expected. The pastor knew where to build. The pastor knew when to buy. The pastor knew who should be the other leaders. But now, it has all been turned upside down. And you can see this displacement among pastors. They talk about people not following their lead. They talk about how the people are attacking God’s chosen anointed. Make no mistake about it, things have changed.

Certainly pastors have always had some issues in congregations. A smart pastor would always have something to do if the trustees or deacon board or bishop decided it was time for her or him to move on. But something is different now.

It is more than everyone has degrees. No it is more than everyone having a job. No, it is the fact that everyone has the means of production.

Instead of pastors telling people to shut up because of pastoral impropriety, the people are speaking. Go on YouTube and type in the search phrase “Eddie Long” and you will see a lot of people speaking. Instead of having the ability to simply move pastors the place that they are moving to have heard the story. No information has gone out.

Good Theology is the Answer

So what can we do? I tell you what we can do. We can start acting like we truly believe the “Priesthood of All believers.” (Revelation 1:6) We can stop acting like the pastor is the only priest speaking to a group who need to shut up and listen. What we can do is for the Pastor now to come to the people are spiritual equals. What the pastor has to do now is convince and “earn” the right to lead. What the pastor has to do now is demonstrate her or his spiritual leadership before attempting to hammer it on the people.

Certainly there are those who will not follow God. But if the majority of your church is against your plans, you must at least ask the question “Is God Trying To Tell Me Something?” If the priesthood of all believers mean anything, it means that we all have access to God. We leaders need to stop acting as if we are the only ones who hear that voice. And we also must come to the people with a mindset of recognizing this.